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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Feb 16, 2014 - 10:48pm PT
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I'm glad Coz spoke up on his honest and certainly valuable opinion. It's sounds much like another valley legends opinion I have heard.
It was very interesting watching Hans and Honnold on the new Nose record a while back. Which in many ways was freesoloing tied together for significant sections.
Very different styles.
I liked Hans'es better for sure. Much more secure if anything odd occurred. Very disciplined effort to take advantage of 3 points whenever possible. Honnold was more casual and opened himself up more to the unforeseen.
Disciplined good habits matter.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Feb 16, 2014 - 11:00pm PT
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^^^^^^^^^^^Vitaliy. Nice! I appreciate and respect both Peter H's and Scott C's words as both have much experience and wisdom (and both can be hard for me to read at times due to them being at opposite ends of the writers spectrum, one being at times, at least to my average reading comprehension, overly scholarly and flowery while the other can be, spotty grammar aside, short and vulgar. But both are wonderful to read and get their points across.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Feb 16, 2014 - 11:54pm PT
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I'm inclined to agree with Coz about the fate of soloists. So many have died going back at least to Winkler (1880s?) and Preuss (1913?). I am neutral about this type of climbing unless media exposure or other devices conspire to present "challenges" to novices.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 12:12am PT
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Kenny.....Honnold put up "too big to flail"
Thanks Tony, I was aware that Honnold did it first. I just think that the Kauk footage is a well done intimate look at what these guys get after these days.
Obviously, John was THE pioneer in this arena but I'm curious, on sight "slab" free solos? Maybe you've heard of a few that I haven't?
Also, just for the record Coz (if its the same dude), Eric G died roped up, after slipping on wet rock, on a 5.10 pitch, on a FFA attempt on middle Cathedral. I was at the cache that day.
Edit: J Gill, the Thimble was one of the gateway drugs.
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2 l l
Sport climber
Rancho Verga, CA
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Feb 17, 2014 - 12:17am PT
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...the fate of soloists. So many have died... More people die from mistakes made with the ropes and gear, than soloing. Alot of the soloist's deaths get lumped together like Dano and Reardon that weren't even climbing at the time.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 12:33am PT
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I know Scott, I heard the entire story from Doug shortly there after. I sat at the cache on standby that day along with a few others. I'm sorry you had to see that.
Although my particulars about the actual route itself may be incorrect, my point is that Eric was not free soloing.
Edit: With all due respect Scott, you were up there, I was not but, A dry 5.4 move? That's absolutely not what I remember hearing. 5.10 pitch, Wet rock, around a corner and out of sight, partner heard the impact but did not see it. Whole bit sucked.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 12:51am PT
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Understood Scott, but the few times I met him he was a very humble, reserved guy. Certainly not a story telling hot shot. You may have had a wider scope.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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Feb 17, 2014 - 01:28am PT
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Kenny..... "edging skills or hospital bills" off the top of my head.....Not to try to stray from the topic but it's great to see that anyone has the freedom to climb in the style they choose and that we are free to debate.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 01:31am PT
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I won't argue that Scott. You certainly sat at the top of the stack long enough to know.
Although I think you are doing the right thing by using your experiences to get a message across, I believe that for the most part it will fall on deaf ears. Folks will always push the limits, it's innate. Especially so, in extreme sports. The same Limits that were set by people who came before them.
Edit: Tony, Bachar got a good look at Skeletal Remains when he chopped Bruce's bolts. He then "on sight" soled it and re named it. BTW, it's 10b and roughly the same height as Too Big to Flail...which is 5.13d.
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pc
climber
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Feb 17, 2014 - 01:53am PT
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$.02 on some of what made/makes Chris S.
IMO his Mom, Gita, gave him his super strong hands. She had the most beautiful big hands. Neat lady.
pc
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:09am PT
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Lol,
Man hands huh? Gotta love those Seinfeld re runs.
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pc
climber
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:27am PT
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Kp I didn't intend lol here. I said beautiful hands, not ugly man hands at all.
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WBraun
climber
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:28am PT
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One thing for sure Sharma has a very positive auspicious name.
It's not by chance but by your previous lifetime you get a nice name like that ......
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redrocker
climber
NV
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:43am PT
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^^^^Google led me to Wiki.
Sharma is a surname found in India and Nepal as a surname or given name among Brahmins. [1] As a noun in Sanskrit, Sharma has various positive connotations, such as "bliss", "happiness", "shelter", "laid back" and "protection."
The name Sharma is written as शर्मा in Hindi.[2] An alternative English spelling of the name used in the city of Varanasi and the Indian states of Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala is "Sarma".[3] Some Assamese people also use Sarmah.[3]
According to Dictionary of American Family Names,[1] the name Sharma is listed as "Indian: Hindu (Brahman) name from Sanskrit šarma ‘joy’, ‘shelter’." Other theories suggest that origin of the name Sharma lies in the ancient Sanskrit word "Sharman" which means teacher or master.
Interesting. Thanks Werner B.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:49am PT
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Sorry PC,
For what it's worth, the woman in that episode had nice looking hands as well. Big enough though to get sinker hand jams all the way up Generator Crack.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Feb 17, 2014 - 02:52am PT
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Bee Laazy is an awesome dude! Always fun to climb and hang out with back in the day.
More people die from mistakes made with the ropes and gear, than soloing. Alot of the soloist's deaths get lumped together like Dano and Reardon that weren't even climbing at the time.
Shipley wasn't climbing either.
Yes Coz, we all know that Alex pushes the envelope, but this "soon to be dead" sh#t really isn't called for.
He knows what he's up against, and so do all the rest of us. You don't need to come on here and make announcements like you're privy to special information.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Feb 17, 2014 - 03:22am PT
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Coz, I reckon Alex H is doing similar stuff as we used to do, just on an exponentially higher level. Perhaps his ratio of "risk verses skill" is even lower. Like Bachar often socratically mused about soloing, when he was explaining the craft to novices, "Would you stand on a 10 foot ledge? What about a 3' ledge? How about a one foot ledge? " and so on. Then he would explain the only difference is that skill enables one to move on smaller and smaller ledges.
The trick, I reckon, is knowing when to quit. The glow of media exposure might add to the difficulty.
In my own small way, the decision abandon the frequent roll of the dice on my life took me years to withdraw from--the adrenaline withdrawal wasn't a happy time, but happy now in retrospect! But it was only after seeing so many best friends (most of your list, and others), all in their mid-30's, same age as me, pass from various on-the-edge activities, did I realise that it had to be done. I came to the realisation that I had been wrong in my thinking that it was my life and I was the only one affected when experiencing frequent close calls (not to mention the dozens of near misses on routes like Great Trango); rather, the impact of death reverberates hard amongst the wider community, and affects much more than the self.
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John M
climber
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Feb 17, 2014 - 04:06am PT
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Tell us of your bold ascents, that qualifies you to talk with such authority.
Scott, I respect your opinion, but there are things other then bold ascents that qualify a person to talk about such things. This is just as a heads up. Not trying to start a flame fest. Do you know what a pararescue jumper is? Bruce was a pararescue jumper and eventually became an instructor. I would say that he understands boldness.
As for who came first. I'm pretty sure he is a only a few years younger then Werner, who you know is only a couple of years younger then God. So I think he probably came before you. Maybe not in climbing, but in boldness, sure.
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all in jim
climber
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Feb 17, 2014 - 09:45am PT
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I think some of you are missing Scott's point when you argue that some on his list didn't die soloing.
They died pushing the edge way out there. They were addicted to that. Those who do that over and over usually do die as a direct result.
And the media's window of the whole thing is a narrow and money-driven one. I'd much rather hear what a veteran like Scott has to say on the matter - he lived it and lived through it.
If you really want to argue with Scott's list, make a similar list of old, high-profile soloists who are still alive and still soloing hard.
The old soloists (like Scott - don't forget he soloed some crazy sh#t BITD) who are still alive are the ones who realized that the whole "I'm in control thing" is a fable.
Sometimes you need a glimpse of how pointless it can all seem after the fact. Scott's visit with Walt's parents is a painful but poignant example.
That said, I think Alex's soloing is amazing and highly entertaining... I can indulge in that since I don't really know him. I hope he lives a long and happy life and solos el cap and blows all our minds.
But I knew Yabo, Michael and Dano. Watching them do crazy sh#t over and over was really freaky. It was as if they were possessed by a demon at times. Losing them was horrible and incredibly sad.
I know a soloist now who is young and very stoked on the whole thing. He's an incredible climber with amazing mind control. I'm in awe of him as a climber.
But all that won't count for sh#t if he blows it, because most of all, I appreciate him as a friend.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Feb 17, 2014 - 11:30am PT
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Thanks for the nod John.
However, to be accurate, I was a Global SERE Instructor, not a PJ.
Yes, I did jumps and some freefall, but not on the same level as the PJs do.
I did train special Ops guys, including Navy SEALs.
Coz, as to your question, the hardest thing I ever led was 5.12. I was only solid on hard 10/easy 11 for the most part. I've only done 10 El Cap routes and around 60 walls. The hardest thing I ever soloed way off the ground was easy 10. I have done a fair amount of soloing, just not super hard stuff.
So no, I can't hang with your bold exploits. There are MANY guys around this site who are greater climbers than I ever was.
I have earned my stripes though, and have every right to my opinion, same as you.
My opinion is that "soon to be dead" is uncalled for. Then you say it is out of love and compassion. I don't see it.
I also understand your go to shtick when challenged is to get all aggro and start calling people "tough guy" and asking about peoples "bold ascents." I've seen you do it many times. Hell you even did it to Jim Donini.
So no, you are not the keeper of secret knowledge that gives you the right to call Alex "soon to be dead." It may be true, but it's still rude. At least he makes 5.12 look a lot easier than I ever made an 11a look!
We all know that some of the things he is doing are way out there.
I wish he would stop doing them too, but I'm not his mom.
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